keftes

An interview with Gil Marks, author of The Encyclodedia of Jewish Food, &amp; his recipe for Sephardic Leek Patties. Kosher, Rosh Hashanah.

Gil Marks' Keftes de Prassa

lbs leeks ((6-10 medium sized, white and green parts only))

potatoes lamb walnuts

matzo meal or bread crumbs ((or more if needed - use matzo meal if making for Passover))

eggs,

tbsp oil

garlic, mashed

salt

tsp pepper,

1/4-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, chili flakes,

Lemon ((optional))

Halve the leeks lengthwise.

Slice the halved leeks thinly.

Rinse the sliced leeks thoroughly.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the leeks, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain the leeks and let cool. Squeeze out excess liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the leeks, potatoes, and matzo meal.

Add the eggs, 1 tbsp of oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and additional seasoning (if using). If the mixture is too soft to form patties, add a little more matzo meal or form the loose mixture into clumps and dredge them in matzo meal or bread crumbs to flatten.

For each patty, shape 3-4 tbsp of leek mixture into an oval 2 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/2 inch thick, with tapered ends (like a football).

In a large skillet, heat about 1/2 inch oil over medium-high heat till hot enough for frying. Fry the patties in batches, turning once, until golden brown on both sides-- about 3 minutes per side.

Drain the fried patties on paper towels.

Serve hot or at room temperature, accompanied, if desired, with the lemon wedges.

How to make Middle Eastern keftes de espinaca - spinach keftes. Delicious vegetarian fried patties with spinach, mashed potatoes, egg, and breadcrumbs.

Keftes de Espinaca - Spinach Keftes

extra virgin olive oil

onion, minced

garlic

spinach

potatoes

breadcrumbs

pepper

cayenne (optional, adds heat)

In a large skillet, warm 1 tbsp of olive or grapeseed oil over medium heat. Sauté minced onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add crushed garlic, sauté for two minutes longer.

Add half of the fresh spinach and over the skillet, allow the spinach to wilt and shrink slightly, then add remaining half and cover again till all the spinach has wilted.

Remove from heat and transfer cooked mixture to a mesh strainer. With a spatula, gently press mixture in the strainer to remove excess moisture.

Transfer mixture to a cutting board and roughly chop.

Place chopped mixture into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix thouroughly.

With an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the mixture into your hand and form smooth flat patties. Place them onto a sheet tray as you go.

Heat remaining ½ cup of oil (8 tbsp) over medium heat until hot enough to fry. It should be at about 365 degrees F. Place patties into the hot oil in small batches. Fry until brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Place on a paper towel or rack to drain.

Serve immediately.

Easy to make and very tasty!
Used Just Egg as an egg replacement to make it vegan.

I made a few adjustments. I needed them vegan and Kosher for Passover. 
I left out the egg, added 25 ml of potato starch, added a little lemon zest and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg. 
Thank you for the recipe, it was a good base to work with, I just thought it needed a bit more flavour to feel ‘Sephardic’. 
I use grape seed oil for frying and I used red potatoes and left the skin on. 
When I sautéed the onion, I added a bit of water near the end so that the matzoh meal had some liquid to absorb, which is what the egg would normally do.

Tried this recipe last night.  I never make mashed potatoes, but I did for this recipe and these little patties were delicious!!  I followed your directions carefully, and was not disappointed.  I used grapeseed oil to avoid a smoky kitchen.   When I try new recipes, my husband usually tells me not to try them again.  But this one - definitely a winner!!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/7G7Nwoc9.mp4

How to make Middle Eastern keftes de espinaca. Fried vegetarian spinach potato patties, Sephardic recipe.

Keftes de Espinaca

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Gil Marks' Keftes de Prassa

Keftes de Espinaca - Spinach Keftes

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Keftes de Espinaca - Spinach Keftes

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